Reusable shopping bags are considered a sustainable alternative to using single-use plastic or paper bags when carrying groceries or other purchased items away from a retail establishment. The reusable bags are made of a durable material and can be reused many times over a given period of time.
A reusable bag is considered to be environmentally friendly in that its manufacture requires fewer natural resources and produces fewer emissions of harmful gases than a single-use bag. However, at some point the bag will wear out and become unusable to the owner. At that point, the bag will eventually find its way into a landfill.
A more environmentally friendly way of disposing of the bag is to recycle it. However, current neighborhood recycling programs generally do not include the recycling of materials used in the construction of reusable bags.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.